SZA closed out her first arena tour, the SOS tour, with two nights in LA at The Forum. SOS of course is also the title of her critically acclaimed second album which dropped in December and as we all know by now, SOS is huge. Like history-making huge, topping the Billboard 200 for ten consecutive weeks, the first woman to do so in almost seven years since Adele’s album, 25, back in 2015/16, and also the most weeks at number for an R&B album by a woman since Mariah Carey in 1991, and the most for an R&B album, period, by any artist, since Usher in 2004. This is why Forbes declared last month that the achievement “puts her on the same level as Adele and Taylor Swift”. 

 

It’s hard to argue with that, not when every song on SOS is a banger, and definitely not when “Kill Bill” is everywhere. I know I’m not alone when I say I can’t get enough of this song. The sound of it is addictive, her voice, her lyrics… and the way she delivers them! I love the line that follows “I might kill my ex”. 

“Not the best idea…”

It makes me laugh every time. And also… in the repeat… “I might kill my ex”… 

“I still love him though…”

It’s so irreverent and cool, but also, I mean, if you find yourself in that situation, it’s also hilariously true, and believable. 

Anyway, as you can imagine, it’s been an overwhelmingly successful few months for SZA which, of course, has an upside but there’s also a downside. SZA has been candid about her anxiety in the past, speaking honestly about her mental health struggles, sharing that she left the Met Gala early a couple of years ago because it wasn’t a good space for her. 

 

“It’s exhausting,” she said about working in a “psychosis-inducing industry". “The physical exhaustion, the mental exhaustion does not come from making music. I love making music. I love creating. It’s kind of my own source of therapy and meditation, but the exhaustion really comes from expectations, berating, and dehumanizing from outside forces. And that shit makes me feel like, ‘Why am I doing this? Why would I set myself up to be bodied like this on a regular basis?’”

That was back in 2021 and earlier this week, she once again shared on Twitter what she’s been going through privately: 

 

It might be a relief, then, that she’s now wrapped up her tour. And from the reaction that I’ve been seeing, she gave it everything before signing off, fulfilling the promise she made to “pop ass and cry and give theater” with vocals and costumes and elaborate sets, all in front of an audience packed with celebrities. Kim Kardashian, the Biebers, Adele and more were at night one. On night two it was Lizzo, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, Hailee Steinfeld, Teyana Taylor, and Jennifer Lopez and Emme. 

And now, hopefully, SZA can get some rest. 

Attached- SZA performing in Vancouver the other night and celebrities seen leaving her concert in LA.